Operation method for combination type laundry device

ABSTRACT

An operation method for a combination dryer is disclosed. The present invention relates to a combination type laundry device, and more particularly, to an operation method for a combination laundry device provided with a washing machine having a drying function and a cabinet dryer as one body using one drying heater and one fan, in which after identifying an selected operation cycle by a user the washing machine with a drying function and/or the cabinet dryer is/are controlled for performing the selected operation cycle.

This application claims the benefit of the Patent Korean Application No. P2004-2935, filed on Nov. 15, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a laundry device, and more particularly, to an operation method for a new type of a combination laundry device provided with a washing machine with a drying function and a cabinet dryer as one body using one drying heater and one fan.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

In general, laundry devices including washing machines and dryers are electric home appliances which can wash or dry cloth items, cloths and beddings (hereinafter, ‘the laundry’). A dryer of the laundry devices used in a house usually dries a small amount of the laundry.

That is, the dryer receives the laundry washed by the washing machine, and dries the laundry by supplying hot air.

However, the related art dryer has a problem that drying for a tangled portion of the laundry is not dried smoothly, because the drying cycle is in process in a state of the laundry being introduced together at one time.

There is another problem that it is impossible to keep the laundry for a long time in the related art dryer.

Thus, recently demands have been increasing accordingly for a new type of a dryer having a drying capacity thereof enlarged as well as capable of keeping the laundry for a long time. There are various combination dryers provided with tumble dryers having auxiliary cabinet dryers provided therewith, for example, US Laid-open Patent Application No. 2004-0194339 A1 or US Laid-open Patent Application No. 2004-0154194.

The above combination dryer allows a cabinet dryer provided on a top of a conventional dryer having a rotatory drum.

The cabinet dryer has space for the laundry and receives hot air used to dry or keep the laundry for a long time.

However, the combination dryer described above has an inconvenience that it performs only a drying cycle and keeping of the laundry, not a washing cycle.

That is, since an auxiliary washing machine should be provided for washing the laundry, a user should purchase a washing machine and a combination dryer separately. Thus, it is difficult to secure an installation space, and production cost may rise due to overlapping of some configurations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an operating method for a combination dryer that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide an operating method for a combination type laundry device combining a washing machine with a drying function and a cabinet dryer as one body which shares structures for generating hot air, such that a washing cycle and a drying cycle are performed.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, an operation method for a combination type laundry device comprises a first step for identifying a operation selected by a user; and a second step for putting into the identified operation at least one operation object of a washing machine with a drying function and a cabinet dryer together using a drying heater and a fan.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an exterior of a combination type laundry device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the combination type laundry device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart schematically illustrating a controlling process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart schematically illustrating a controlling process during the operation of the washing cycle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a combination type laundry device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a washing machine with a drying function 100, a cabinet dryer 200, and a controller 300.

The washing machine with a drying function 100 includes a tub 110, a drum 120, a hot air supplying pipe 130, hot air supplying part 140, and performs a washing cycle for washing the laundry and a drying cycle for drying the laundry.

The drum 120 capable of rotating/agitating is mounted within the tub 110 for performing a washing and a drying cycle in a state of the laundry being introduced.

The hot air supplying pipe 130 as a pipe guiding an inflow of hot air into the drum 120 is formed for re-supplying the air into the tub 110 after receiving and circulating the air within the tub 110.

Also, the hot air supplying part 140 is provided within the hot air supplying pipe 130 for heating the air flowing along the hot air supplying pipe 130.

The hot air supplying part 140 includes a drying heater 141 for heating flowing air, and a fan 142 for forcibly ventilating the air within the hot air supplying pipe 130.

At that time, the fan 142 may be provided in a portion of the hot air supplying pipe 130 where air of the drying heater 141 is discharged.

That is for preventing damage of a fan motor (not shown) in advance which may be caused when the air containing much moisture within the hot air supplying pipe 130 passes through the fan motor driving fan 142.

Alternatively, the fan 142 may be provided in a portion of the hot air supplying pipe 130 where air of the drying heater is drawn with respect to a direction of an air inflow.

The cabinet dryer 200 is mounted on a top of the washing machine with a drying function 100, and has a laundry keeping space 220.

The laundry keeping space 220 defines space for keeping the laundry.

The cabinet dryer includes a first hot air inlet pipe 241 and a first air outlet 242.

The first hot air inlet pipe 241 receives hot air flowing in the hot air supplying pipe 130 and guides the hot air into the laundry keeping space 220.

The first hot air inlet pipe 241 has a first end thereof in communication with the laundry keeping space 220 and a second thereof connectedly in communication with a pipe way of the hot air supplying pipe 130.

At that time, preferably, an air inlet of the first hot air inlet pipe is connected with an air outlet of the fan 142.

An air channel valve 180 may be further provided in a connection portion between the first hot air inlet pipe 241 and the hot air supplying pipe 130 for alternatively supplying the hot air to the first hot air inlet pipe 241 or the second hot air inlet pipe 131 connected with the tub 110.

The air channel valve 180 alternatively opens or closes a pipe way branched between the first hot air inlet pipe 241 and the second hot air inlet pipe 131, and for example may be a 3-way valve.

Preferably, an enlarged pipe part 241 a may be further provided in the first hot air inlet pipe 241 for enlarging a pipe way of the first hot air inlet pipe 241.

The enlarged pipe part 241 a prevents the hot air flowing along the first hot air inlet pipe 241 from being discharged to a partial section of the laundry keeping space 220 of the cabinet dryer 200, when the hot air is discharged into the laundry keeping space 220. Thereby, the hot air is prevented from being supplied only to some particular laundry.

In other words, since the pipe way having the hot air flow therein is enlarged at that position to reduce speed of air inflow, thereby preventing hot air from being discharged into only some particular portion of the laundry.

Alternatively, the second hot air inlet pipe 131 may have a pipe way thereof enlarged so as to prevent hot air from being discharged only to some particular portion.

Also, the first air outlet pipe 242 supplied the air, containing moisture by flowing within the laundry keeping space 220, into the hot air supplying pipe 130.

At that time, an air inlet of the first air outlet pipe 242 is in communication with the laundry keeping space 220, and an air outlet of the first air outlet pipe 242 is in communication with the second air outlet pipe 132 allowing air discharged from the tub 110, and the second air outlet pipe 132 is connected with the hot air supplying pipe 130.

Hence, the controller 300 controls an operation of the washing machine with a drying function 100 and the cabinet dryer 200.

The controller 300 is provided in at least one of the washing machine with a drying function 100 and the cabinet dryer 200, and preferably the controller 300 is provided only in the washing machine with a drying function 100.

If the controller 300 is provided in both the washing machine with a drying function 100 and the cabinet dryer 200, the controller 300 are connected by a data cable (not shown) to make possible to intercommunicate information.

Also, the controller 300 may control the washing machine with a drying function 100 and the cabinet dryer 200 respectively, and may control the washing with a drying function 100 and the cabinet dryer 200 to communicate each other.

An operation controlling process according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.

First, the operation controlling process according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a step of identifying a selected operation cycle by the user, and a step of performing the selected operation of at least one of the washing machine with a drying function 100 and the cabinet dryer 200.

The step of identifying a selected operation cycle is performed by the controller 300.

That is, the controller 300 identifies a kind of operation cycle, for example, whether a washing cycle is selected or a drying cycle is selected, when the user put the laundry device into an operation (S110).

Hence, the controller 300 operates an identified operation object based on the identified kind of the operation cycle. The operation cycle includes a washing cycle and a drying cycle.

Each operation cycle of the above process will be described in detail.

First, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a series of processes for a washing cycle will be described.

First of all, once the operation identified by the controller 300 is a request of a washing cycle, the controller 300 controls the washing machine with a drying function 100 for performing a washing cycle (S120).

The washing cycle may be performed by a general method of rotating and agitating the drum 120, and also by the other various methods.

At that time, during the washing cycle, a drying cycle using the cabinet dryer 200 also may be performed at the same time, because the combination type laundry device is configured to perform a drying cycle and a washing cycle at the same time.

Thus, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 4, it is preferred but not necessary to extra-identify whether the drying cycle of the cabinet dryer is performed or not although the washing cycle is selected.

When the drying cycle of the cabinet dryer 200 is not selected, only the washing cycle is performed. At that time, the controller 300 controls the air channel valve 180 for closing the first hot air inlet pipe 241, not operating the drying heater 141 and driving the fan 142.

On the other hand, when the drying cycle of the cabinet dryer 200 is selected, the controller 300 controls the air channel valve 180 for opening the first hot air inlet pipe 241, together with operating the drying heater 141 to generate hot air and driving the fan 142.

Hence, the hot air is supplied into the laundry keeping space 220 along the first hot air inlet pipe 241, and then the laundry is dried. At that time, preferably the washing machine with a drying function 100 is controlled by closing the second hot air inlet pipe 131 so as not to have the hot air supplied therein.

Also, preferably, the air having dried the laundry in the laundry keeping space 220 is discharged outside and re-ventilated into the laundry keeping space 220.

For that, the air discharged from the laundry keeping space 220 is flown into the hot air supplying pipe 130 through the first air outlet pipe 242.

Thus, the air passes through the drying heater 141 and the fan 142 in order, and then is re-drawn into the laundry keeping space 220 through the first hot air inlet pipe 241 for circulating continuously.

The re-ventilated air discharged from the cabinet dryer 200 contains a large quantity of moisture. Hence, during the re-ventilation it is preferred but not necessary that the moisture is not removed from the air.

Thus, the embodiment of the present invention further comprises a step of removing moisture by condensing the re-ventilated air.

That is, a condensing duct 150 is further provided in the hot air supplying pipe 130, and an air outlet of the first air outlet pipe 242 is connected with an air inlet of the condensing duct 150.

Hence, the air having passed the first air outlet pipe 242 passes through the condensing duct 150 for removing moisture. The dry hot air relieved of moisture is supplied into the laundry keeping space 220 of the cabinet dryer 200 consistently, thereby the laundry in the laundry keeping space 220 being dried smoothly.

Next, referring to the flow charts of FIGS. 3 and 4, a series of processes for operating a drying cycle will be described.

First, once the identified operation cycle by the controller 300 is a drying cycle, the controller 300 identifies an operation object (S130).

The operation object is the washing machine with a drying function 100 and/or the cabinet dryer 200. Preferably, it is controlled that the user selects the operation object.

The controller 300 controls an air channel valve 180 for opening only the hot air inlet pipe connected with the operation object out of the hot air inlet pipes 241 and 131.

For example, once the user requires the laundry device to perform only a drying cycle of the washing machine with a drying function, the air channel valve 180 is controlled to open the second hot air inlet 131 and to close the first hot air inlet pipe 241 (S140).

Whereas, once the user requires the laundry device to perform only a drying cycle of the cabinet dryer 200, the air channel valve 180 is controlled to open the first hot air inlet pipe 241 (S150) and to close the second hot air inlet pipe 131.

At the time, the drying cycle of the washing machine with a drying function 100 may be performed for the laundry containing much moisture, whereas the drying cycle of the cabinet dryer 200 may be performed by receiving the laundry dried roughly in the washing machine with a drying function 100 to re-dry the laundry.

That is for enabling a successive performance of a washing cycle and a drying cycle by means of the cabinet dryer 200 drying the washed laundry at the same time, as well as the washing machine with a drying function 100 washing the laundry.

Also, since drying cycles are successively performed such as the laundry roughly dried in the washing machine with a drying function 100 is re-dried in the cabinet dryer 200, drying capacity of the present invention may be enhanced more efficiently than that of one device for washing or drying.

Once a drying cycle of both the washing machine with a drying function 100 and the cabinet dryer 200 is selected, the controller 300 controls the air channel valve 180 for open both of the first hot air inlet pipe 241 and the second hot air inlet pipe 131 (S160).

Preferably, an opening range of each hot inlet pipe 131 and 241 is as various as necessary.

That is, more hot air may be supplied into the one having more laundry.

Once each hot air inlet pipe 131 and 241 connected with the operation object is selectively opened, the controller 300 controls the drying heater 141 and the fan 142 for generating hot air.

In other words, air within the hot air supplying pipe 130 is circulated by driving of the fan 142, and the circulated air is heated into hot air by the drying heater 141.

Thus, the hot air is continuously supplied into the cabinet dryer 200 and/or the washing machine with a drying function 100 along the hot air supplying pipe 130 after passing through the first hot air inlet pipe 241 and/or the second hot air inlet pipe 131. Thus, the laundry kept in the washing machine with a drying function 100 and/or the cabinet dryer 200 is dried.

At that time, since the enlarged pipe part 241 a of the first hot air inlet pipe 241 is enlarged at some portion, an inflow speed of the hot air is reduced while passing through the enlarged pipe part 241 a, thereby the hot air being regularly discharged to all portions of the laundry keeping space 220.

On the other hand, air having dried the laundry by the series of the processes is discharged to an outside of the washing machine with a drying function 100 and/or the cabinet dryer 200 in a state of containing moisture generated by drying the laundry.

However, an internal environment may deteriorate if the air containing the moisture is discharged to an inside.

Thus, preferably, a step of ventilating is further included for re-ventilating the air into the hot air supplying pipe 130.

That is, the air used for the drying cycle is circulated continuously only in the washing machine with a drying function.

At that time, since air discharged from the washing machine with a drying function 100 and air from the cabinet dryer 200 each through the second air outlet pipe 132 and the first air outlet pipe 242 is flown into the hot air supplying pipe 130, it is possible to circulate the air through continuous driving of the fan 142.

The circulating air discharged from the washing machine with a drying function 100 and/or the cabinet dryer 200 contains a large quantity of moisture.

Preferably, the air is relieved of the moisture while the air is re-ventilated.

Hence, the embodiment of the present invention further includes a step of removing moisture by condensing the re-ventilated air.

That is, a condensing duct 150 is further provided in the hot air supplying pipe 130, and an air outlet of the first air outlet pipe 242 and the second air outlet pipe 132 is connected with an air inlet of the condensing duct 150.

Thereby, air through each air outlet pipe 242 and 132 is relieved of moisture while passing through the condensing duct 150, and the dry hot air relieved of the moisture is continuously supplied into the drum 120 of the washing machine with a drying function 100 and the laundry keeping space 220 of the cabinet dryer 200 for drying the laundry within the drum 120 and the laundry keeping space 220 smoothly.

As described above, the combination type laundry device according to each embodiment of the present invention has an advantageous effect that a washing cycle and a drying cycle are possible at the same time.

Especially, since even during the washing cycle, the drying cycle of the cabinet dryer may be performed, the combination type laundry device of the present invention has an advantageous effect of reducing entire washing time.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. An operating method for a combination type laundry device comprising: a first step for identifying a operation selected by a user; and a second step for putting into the identified operation at least one operation object of a washing machine with a drying function and a cabinet dryer together using a drying heater and a fan.
 2. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 1, wherein the operation cycle comprises a washing cycle and a drying cycle.
 3. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 2, wherein in case the operation cycle is a drying cycle, comprising steps of, opening a first hot air inlet pipe and/or a second hot air inlet pipe connecting the drying heater and the fan with the operation object; supplying hot air through the opened first hot air inlet and/or second hot air inlet pipe by operating the drying heater and driving the fan; and drying the laundry with the hot air.
 4. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 3, wherein the step of drying the laundry with the hot air comprises a step of re-ventilating air discharged after used to dry the laundry into the first hot air inlet pipe and/or the second hot air inlet pipe.
 5. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 4, further comprising a step of removing moisture by condensing the re-ventilated air.
 6. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 3, wherein the operation object is controlled to be selected by the user.
 7. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 3, wherein in case the operation object is the cabinet dryer, only the first hot air inlet pipe connecting the drying heater and the fan with the cabinet dryer is opened.
 8. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 3, wherein in case the operation object is the washing machine combining a dryer, only the second hot air inlet pipe connecting the drying heater and the fan with the washing machine combining a dryer is opened.
 9. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 3, wherein in case the operation object is the washing machine combining a dryer and the cabinet dryer, the first hot air inlet pipe connecting the drying heater and the fan with the cabinet dryer and the second hot air inlet pipe connecting the drying heater and the fan with the washing machine combining a dryer are opened.
 10. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 9, wherein an opening range of each hot air inlet pipe is as various as necessary.
 11. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 2, wherein in case the operation cycle is a washing cycle, the laundry is washed by controlling the washing machine with a drying function.
 12. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 11, wherein the washing cycle comprises a step of identifying whether a drying cycle of the cabinet dryer is selected or not.
 13. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 12, wherein in case the drying cycle of the cabinet dryer is not selected, the first hot air inlet pipe connecting the drying heater and the fan with the cabinet dryer maintains closed.
 14. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 12, wherein in case the operation of the drying cycle using the cabinet dryer is selected, comprising steps of, opening the first hot air inlet pipe connecting the drying heater and the fan with the cabinet dryer; supplying hot air through the opened first hot air inlet pipe by operating the drying heater and driving the fan; and drying the laundry with the hot air.
 15. The operating method for the combination type laundry device of claim 14, wherein the step of drying the laundry with the hot air comprises a step of re-ventilating air discharged after used to dry the laundry into the second hot air inlet pipe.
 16. The operating method for the combination laundry device of claim 15, further comprising a step removing moisture by condensing the re-ventilated air. 